Community Based
Programs

Selfhelp serves more than 20,000 older adults and other vulnerable populations throughout New York, while remaining the largest population of comprehensive services to Holocaust survivors in North America. At 27 sites throughout New York City and Long Island, and in countless homes each day, Selfhelp's clients receive the vital services they need to live meaningful, independent, and dignified lives.

Social workers at every one of our programs can help individuals who qualify to access financial assistance. This assistance is funded by New York Times Neediest and other private grants and donations.

The common theme uniting all of our programs is Selfhelp's mission of helping older adults and vulnerable populations live with independence and dignity.

Affordable Senior Housing

Selfhelp owns and operates 11 affordable senior apartment buildings in Queens, the Bronx, and Nassau County, with two more under development in Brooklyn. Our buildings offer seniors the opportunity to lead independent lives in affordable and appropriate apartments, with access to on-site services if and when needed, including health and wellness, social work, skilled nursing and home care. There are also computer and Skype rooms, large community rooms and libraries, as well as exercise equipment and telehealth monitoring, Each unit is equipped with emergency pull cords, there is closed-circuit TV surveillance in each lobby, and the buildings are near to public transportation. Seven of our residences are also in close proximity to one of Selfhelp’s senior centers, where residents can participate in stimulating programs and enjoy a nutritious lunch.

More than 1,400 low and moderate-income seniors enjoy life in our residences, designed exclusively for older tenants. They live securely and independently, participate in enriching community activities and have access to Selfhelp’s extensive services. To accommodate the growing number of older New Yorkers who need affordable housing and would benefit from independent living, we are committed to developing new affordable housing, modeled on our current senior housing buildings.

Selfhelp’s Real Estate Department is committed to building and operating energy-efficient and sustainable buildings throughout New York. As part of this commitment, Selfhelp has partnered with the New York City Mayor’s Office of Sustainability on the NYC Carbon Challenge program, which is a commitment to reduce greenhouse gases emissions by 30% in ten years to ensure a healthy and safe environment for our homes and communities.

Selfhelp's five senior centers, including one of New York City's Innovative Senior Centers, offer a wide variety of life-enhancing programs such as computer classes, concerts and lectures, health and wellness workshops, as well as nutritious meals for seniors living in the surrounding communities.

Our senior centers serve close to 10,000 older adults in a variety of educational and social activities. We take particular pride in creating programs and services that reflect the culture of each local community.

A unique, transformational program, Selfhelp's acclaimed Virtual Senior Center (VSC) engages homebound seniors into the larger community by using technology to connect them with other participants in a range of activities. A cornerstone activity of the program is its interactive, real-time classes where participants can hear, see and talk with each other in an interactive session. Over 40 classes are typically offered each week ranging from art history to current events to museum tours to weight training and other exercise programming. This groundbreaking program effectively reduces social isolation by creating social networks for otherwise shut-in seniors, connecting them to each other and to the outside world.

Launched in 2010 with 6 participants, the program has become a lifeline for over 300 participants throughout New York City, Long Island, Baltimore, Chicago, Pittsburgh, and San Diego. Participants enjoy taking part in intriguing live classes facilitated by dozens of instructors, chatting with friends, enjoying yoga, learning wellness tips and discussing politics, surfing the Internet and playing games all from the comfort of their own homes. To serve a broader community, the VSC is now available in multiple languages including Spanish, Chinese, English, Korean and Russian.

The program has been shown to break down barriers of digital literacy, reduce social isolation by up to 85% and improve participants' quality of life by 97%.

As one of our participants said,"The program is truly extraordinary. We're homebound. It's a gift. I live alone but I don't feel alone."

Since its inception, the VSC has grown tremendously in size and scope, thanks to generous funding from private foundations. It is now available to participants on a fee-for-service basis. Learn more about how you or your loved one can participate or how you can volunteer to facilitate a class here.

Case Management

Selfhelp's comprehensive case management programs help seniors through a collaborative process of assessment, planning, facilitation, care coordination, evaluation, and advocacy. Expert social workers provide assistance in accessing entitlements and benefits, as well as financial assistance, home delivered meals and home care services. The goal is to enable vulnerable seniors to continue to live independently in their own homes.

Our case management programs include:

Queens North - Serves homebound seniors, age 60 or older, in Community District 7 in Western Queens. It is located at 45-25 Kissena Boulevard. Contact us at (718) 321-8194. Funded by the New York City Department for the Aging (DFTA).

Project Pilot - Serves homebound seniors ages 60 or older in Community Districts 4 and 7 on the west side of Manhattan. It is located at 520 8th Avenue. Contact us at (212) 787-8106. Funded by Department for the Aging (DFTA).

Safety Net Program - Funded by UJA-Federation of New York, this program serves seniors and individuals with disabilities living in Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan.Services include: advocacy, in-home assessment, legal assistance, citizenship application assistance, financial assistance, referrals for mental health, and other resources. Located at 419 Church Avenue in Brooklyn. Contact us at (718) 633-1300.

Senior Source (Geriatric Case Management)

Senior Source provides access to a care manager 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. A fee-for-service geriatric care management program, Senior Source helps clients and their families navigate the maze of health care and residential options, monitor and support ongoing care, and prepare for future care needs.

This private care management program is grounded in Selfhelp’s long standing tradition of providing seniors with the support they need to live independently and securely in the privacy and comfort of their own homes. Our Care Managers work with clients and their families to develop a personalized care plan.

To learn more, contact us at (646) 937-4381.

Alzheimer's Resource Program (SHARP)

Selfhelp Alzheimer's Resource Program (SHARP) offers a warm, nurturing and stimulating “social adult day care” environment for individuals in the early to mid-stages of Alzheimer's disease. Participants enjoy engaging activities such as music therapy and cognitive exercises that enrich them emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually. The program also offers support groups for caregivers.

Our SHARP program is located at our Clearview Senior Center at 208-11 26th Avenue in Bayside, Queens.

Call us at (718) 631-1886.

Community Guardian Program

Selfhelp's Community Guardian Program serves as court-appointed legal guardian for clients referred by Adult Protective Services (APS), who are over 18 years of age and unable to manage their financial or domestic affairs.

Our program grew out of a 1986 New York State Law that enabled not-for-profit organizations to serve as guardians when the Department of Social Services is the petitioner and the individual for whom guardianship is sought is an Adult Protective Services client. Selfhelp is one of three agencies in New York City that serves in this capacity.

Our goals are to keep clients comfortable, safe within the community, and maximally independent. Though each court order may differ in its instructions, guardians usually have the right to collect a client's income and pay their bills. Client safety, independence, quality of life, and available funds are important considerations in the development of a suitable plan.

Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs)

Selfhelp provides health and social services at four Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs) located throughout Queens. NORCs are housing complexes with a large proportion of residents over 60. Because many of the tenants wish to remain in their homes and now require essential support to do so, NORC programs, including those managed by Selfhelp, provide senior residents with the supportive services they need to continue living in their own homes. These include: case management, supportive counseling, health screenings, and social, recreational, and educational programs.

Case management services provided by a professional social worker may include supportive counseling, financial management and long term care planning, referral to community resources and help with applying for and securing entitlements and benefits. Our registered nurses provide blood pressure and other medical screenings and evaluations for additional services including skilled nursing care, psychiatric treatment, physical therapy and hospice care.
Ambulatory and wheelchair-assisted seniors can utilize our mini-van that makes weekly trips to supermarkets, banks, shopping malls and nearby cultural and recreational points of interest.

There are a variety of volunteer opportunities at our NORCs that provide greater social interaction and community participation. Residents may escort other seniors on shopping trips, visit those who are lonely or homebound, provide telephone reassurance, work in our office, join the Advisory Council, plan and lead recreation activities or get involved in fund raising projects.

Contact us at 718-559-4400 or at 45-35 Kissena Boulevard, Flushing, Queens, 11355

New York Connects Program of Queens is the first stop for older adults, people of all ages with disabilities, and their families to access long-term care resources. The goal of the program is to provide consistent, comprehensive, locally-based information and assistance on long-term services and supports for individuals, caregivers, and families.
Specialists work with callers to assess, plan, coordinate, and evaluate the services required to meet their medical, emotional, financial, physical, and social needs. We provide counseling to help individuals make informed choices about the services and supports that are most appropriate for their unique situations. There is no cost to access the program.

Examples include:

Health insurance information

Screening for entitlements and benefits

Transportation

Home-delivered meals

Home care

Care coordination

Caregiver support

The program focuses on client self-determination, independent living, and aging in place. We provide linkages to needed services, as well as education and advocacy around entitlements and benefits. The services can be accessed via telephone, in-person, or online. Additionally, our staff can provide information in different languages if necessary including English, Spanish, French, Creole, Portuguese, Korean, and Mandarin.

New York Connects is funded by the New York State Office for the Aging and the New York City Department for the Aging. Each borough has a New York Connects program. If you live outside of Queens we will direct you to the appropriate program.

Financial Assistance

Social workers at every one of our programs can help individuals who qualify to access financial assistance. This program is funded by New York Times Neediest and other private grants and donations.

Selfhelp Innovations

Selfhelp has pioneered a number of technologies aimed at enhancing the quality of later life. From congregate telehealth services to Virtual Senior Center programming, Selfhelp continually seeks new "high-tech, high-touch" models to maintain wellness and to re-engage and energize vulnerable, isolated seniors across New York City as well as nationwide.

Assistive Telehealth Services

These services enable seniors to be proactive in caring for themselves. The system enables participants to self-monitor their clinical measurements, such as blood pressure, weight and glucose. This information is then sent directly to a telehealth nurse. If there's a sudden or unexpected change in health or well-being, the telehealth nurse will then take the appropriate action.

Cognitive Stimulation Programs

Much has been written of late regarding the importance of enhancing and maintaining overall cognitive fitness by stimulating and activating the brain regions responsible for memory, visual and auditory processing, and attention. To that end, Selfhelp employs a user-friendly, computer-based technology both within its Senior Centers and its Alzheimer's Social Day Program. The system is one of rigorous yet entertaining cognitive exercises developed to help maintain brain health and mental acuity among seniors at various levels of cognitive function, from those with full abilities, to those recently diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or dementia, to those with moderate impairment. Programs are available at various levels, and the system records each participant's progress and automatically adjusts levels of difficulty. In the event that a participant's scores increase or decline, the computer notifies staff of the change. Anecdotal evidence suggests favorable results with regular use of the system.